Holiday Cabin Gets A Contrasting Extension Yet Blends In

This is a project called “Cabin 2”, the reason for that being the fact this is actually not a completely new structure but an extension to an existing log cabin in bayside Blairgowrie in Australia. The cabin is surrounded by woodland in an area occupied mostly by holiday homes.

Maddison Architects were in charge of the project and their strategy was to clearly differentiate the old from the new and to allow each structure, the existing cabin and the extension, to express their individual identities.

So instead of creating a seamless transition between the two structures, the architects highlighted the contrasts between them. The original cabin built in the 1960s contains two bedrooms, a bunk room, a kitchen, a living space and a bathroom.

The clients and the architects worked together to find a way to build this extension with minimal impact on the site, which was densely populated with trees. They removed as few trees as possible and also added indigenous plants, re-vegetated the site and planted some more trees to make up for the changes.New fence lines were created, camouflaged with plants in order to blur the property boundary lines and to expand the views beyond them.

Inside, the ambiance is really peaceful and inviting. The sloped roof and unusual geometry of the space allows the cabin extension to stand out and to look modern, this allowing it to contrast with the existing portion.

The living room sofa sits casually directly on the floor and a fireplace makes the whole space feel welcoming and comfortable. Also, the fact that there’s a lot of wood and natural finishes in here helps create a calming atmosphere.

The bedroom is a tranquil space, with windows that look over the trees and the woodland, offering lovely views of the surrounding landscape. The wood-paneled walls and the simple and natural palette help complete this image.

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